Monday, August 17, 2015

Laguna Nights by Kaira Rouda

Madison Alcott was back in her hometown,
caring for her sick mom and working long hours at the best resort in Laguna
Beach. She never imagined she'd return to the place where she became famous on
the hit reality TV show Laguna Nights, and the place where she was humiliated
on national television. Fortunately, the past had stayed tucked away until her
old high school boyfriend appeared in the lobby.

Josh Welsh was a superstar by age
eighteen, the bad boy break-out star of Laguna Nights. Since then, his star had
lost its shine and he barely was holding onto his Hollywood status. When he was
asked to host a new reality travel show, he jumped at the chance. The only
problem was the first episode was shooting in Laguna Beach. Of all the reasons
Josh didn't want to return home, he hadn't even imagined the worst scenario:
running into Madison "Holly" Alcott.

Josh's connection to Madison was still as
strong as her anger at his betrayal. When the new reality series forces them
together, they must face Laguna Nights past and present, and navigate a journey
where nothing is as it seems.

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It was an early Friday afternoon in
February and Madison Alcott stood on the balcony of the Mondrian Laguna Beach,
a luxurious Craftsman-style hotel perched on an oceanfront bluff. She needed a
moment of zen before her latest group arrived from LA and her favorite place to
breathe was this balcony. Typically, the winter breeze would be chilly, but not
this year with global climate change. She was comfortable outside in her simple
black dress, no jacket needed.

Her long blonde hair blew softly in the ocean breeze as she looked out
at the sparkling blue water stretching out to the horizon. Waves crashed on the
shore, a sound she found soothing and had since she was a child. It was a
constant, that swooshing water sound, more dependable than anything or anyone
else she’d known. She closed her eyes and imagined herself lying on the warm
sand, wearing her favorite red bikini, soaking up the sun, laughing with
friends, maybe even holding hands with Dolby, lying side by side.

She opened her eyes and looked down. Directly below her, a young family
– two fit, gorgeous parents with two towheaded toddlers – frolicked in the
resort’s signature mosaic swimming pool. The young father tossed one of the
children up in the air, eliciting squeals of joy from the child, before he swam
to his wife and pulled her to him for a kiss. Madison sighed.

“That should be me, us,” she said, her words drifting on the warm air of
the empty patio, and checked her watch. The group check-in would begin in just
twenty minutes and she needed to be sure everything was ready. All the she knew
about the group was that they were a bunch of picky entertainment execs. The
booking agent had been light on details about the group’s members, but heavy
with expectations of service, food, and confidentiality.

“My group will expect complete privacy, the finest in service and
flexibility,” the man had said to Madison over the telephone.

“Of course. Um, flexibility?” she had asked. She’d stopped taking notes
as flexibility was typically not one of the demands.

“Sometimes, they change their minds. So, although we’ve set the agenda
for the week, well, it is all subject to change,” he had said.

Madison had leaned back in her chair, inhaled a deep breath and had
counted to ten. She was up to her eyeballs with entitlement, especially with
Hollywood types. “I’m sorry, but we’ve scheduled the best table at our
oceanfront restaurant just for your party. They cannot simply decide not to
show up on Saturday night.” She had been proud of herself, being firm and she
hadn’t let her voice waver.

“We’ll pay whatever. Just know, it may happen. See you on Friday,” he
had said and hung up.

Flexibility, Madison thought, walking toward the front desk,
crossing the thick carpet of the lobby before stepping onto the dark wood floor
of the reception area. All three staff members smiled at her and she returned
their grins.

“Can’t wait to see who’s in this group,” Chrissy said, eyes twinkling
behind her wire-frame glasses. Chrissy had been with the resort for as long as
anyone could remember and she still became star struck every time a celebrity
checked in. Even if she didn’t recognize the person until Kevin, also a guest
reception employee, showed her online. They still joked about her lack of rock
star knowledge, missing the chance to ogle both Eric Clapton and Sam Smith
within months of each other. She’d still proudly added them to her celebrity
sightings list, Madison knew.

“We’re so ready to be flexible,” Kevin said, tugging at the lapel of his
sport coat, his red hair glowing in the spotlight aimed at the seascape oil
painting behind him but instead shining on his hair because of his 6’4” height.
“I did a walk-through of all of the suites. They’re ready. Champagne on ice.
Strawberries dipped in chocolate. Everything chilled and waiting. We’ll make
them love us.”

Madison doubted that but smiled anyway. She loved her team. They were
family to her, the reason she’d stayed on even though she should have moved on
when the company had offered a promotion to a property in Sun Valley. Instead
of manager of group sales, she would be a vice president of guest services.
She’d told them she couldn’t leave Southern California - that it was home. But
the truth was, it was the people here who worked at the resort that she
couldn’t leave. And her mom, of course.

Her earpiece crackled to life and Madison cupped her hand over her ear.
“Five minutes to arrival,” said the van driver who’d picked the group up at the
private airport in Irvine.

“Got it,” Madison said, into the small mouthpiece. “Any insights?”

“Dickheads,” the van driver said as Madison’s heart fell. She’d
suspected it would be a long weekend, but the confirmation saddened her. It
wasn’t as if she had anything else to do, she reminded herself, pushing Dolby
and his strong broad shoulders out of her mind. She knew he’d never be able to
forget what he’d watched, no matter how many assurances she made, no matter how
long ago it had happened.It was the
same with her last attempt at a relationship, and the one before that. They
would tell her it was fine, that they could handle it. But that was always a
lie.